YAROSLAVL, October 30 (RIA Novosti) – About 30 fans were detained in the Central Russian city of Yaroslavl on Wednesday following a violent brawl during a football match, a police spokesman said.
The match between Spartak Moscow and Shinnik Yaroslavl was stopped for around half an hour midway through the second half when a group of Spartak fans hurled seats at police and attempted to get onto the pitch. Police had to use water cannons to quell the violence.
“About 30 people were taken to a police department. They are now being questioned by police and this might last until [Thursday] morning,” Yaroslavl police spokesman Alexander Shikhanov said.
Prior to the incident, a banner with nationalist symbols was unfurled at the sector of the stadium, where fans of Spartak were seated.
According to police, the brawl began minutes after an unidentified spectator ran into the football field and rushed towards grandstands occupied by fans of Spartak.